


The first kiss

by korichiro



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Chatting & Messaging, First Kiss, Love at First Sight, M/M, Mentions of past Harry Styles/Zayn Malik, Social Experiments, louis and harry kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 18:50:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6126642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/korichiro/pseuds/korichiro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Got the idea from the social experiment of kissing someone on video, when you just met them for the first time. So how might that work out with this set of characters?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The first kiss

”So, if you’d just like to introduce yourselves or something, and then just”, Gemma said, ”well, just go for it.”

Harry glanced at the guy standing next to him, and he got a shy, amused smile back. Then he turned to Gemma and the camera.

“Well, um, my name’s Harry”, Harry said, turning back at the guy. The guy smiled a bit again, all crinkly eyes and cute.

“I’m Louis”, he said. Harry smiled at him, then turned back to the camera.

“And I’m helping out with my sister’s silly social experiment”, he said, gesturing to Gemma, who rolled her eyes at him. Louis chuckled at that.

“Well, your sister, apparently, approached me at the coffee shop I go to every morning before class. I think it’s a brilliant idea, I mean, don’t know if it works, but it sounds cool”, he said. Harry grinned at his smile.

“OK, boys, I’m just stating this for the record here, that you two have never met”, Gemma piped up. Both boys shook their head.

“Might’ve seen you around campus, though”, Louis confessed. Harry squinted at him, and then he realized where he knew the boy from.

“Wait, you’re always playing football at the field during lunch and stuff”, he said, making Louis grin again. Louis nodded.

“Yeah, so we’ve never met or talked, but we’ve seen each other around”, he turned to say to Gemma, or the camera. Gemma nodded.

“And neither one of you has ever kissed a boy”, Gemma said with a glint in her eyes. Harry rolled his eyes at her, but turned to look at Louis, who was chuckling again.

“I don’t think I’ll mind, but no, I’m straight”, Louis said.

“Too bad. I’m bisexual”, Harry said with a wink, making Louis laugh a bit.

“But no, haven’t had a chance to kiss a boy yet, myself”, Harry said. Louis grinned.

“Aww, you’re gonna remember me, always”, he said. Harry laughed now.

“I think neither one of us’ll forget this experiment”, he said.

“OK, guys, I have enough pre-kiss chatter, so feel free”, Gemma said, gesturing for them to get on with it.

“This is awkward”, Harry said as he stepped closer.

“Yeah, I’ve always been drunk if I kiss someone I hardly know”, Louis said with a nervous sounding chuckle. The two of them were in each other’s space now, properly, and Harry bit his lip a bit, grinning when he realized Louis was doing the same. Louis had his hands clasped behind his back, as if he had no idea what to do with them, so Harry lifted a hand and ran his fingers down Louis’ shoulder and arm, until Louis lifted his hands up. He settled that hand on Harry’s bicep, stopping the movement, and the other one, the one further away from the camera, kind of hovered near Harry’s hip. Harry lifted his hand on that side up to Louis’ cheek as he leaned in. Their noses bumped a bit, but their lips kind of sank into it together, finding a good rhythm almost instantly. It was nice, awkward in the way all first kisses were, but nicer than some. They actually seemed to fit in together well enough, Harry thought as his eyes closed when their tongues touched. Louis’ had been closed ever since he leaned in, and he suspected it was because he was a guy, but it could just be how Louis went about kissing. Harry, on the other hand, usually loved to see the other’s reaction before letting the kiss consume him.

Consume it did. Louis’ hands were actually grabbing his arm and hip now, and his own were grabbing Louis’ arm and travelling down his chest a bit before coming back up to his hair. When they pulled apart, Harry couldn’t help the wide grin, and Louis was giggling as he fought to get some air.

“That was so good!” Gemma exclaimed from behind the camera as the boys stepped back from each other with huge smiles.

“It was”, Harry said. Louis nodded vigorously.

“I’m still straight but I have to say that was one of the best kisses I’ve ever had”, he turned to say to the camera, and then pointed at Harry, saying: “so anyone interested in Harry after this little video, definitely go for it.” Harry laughed, along with Gemma.

“This isn’t an ad, but, well, Lou’s amazing, too. So, girls, get him!” he said, making Louis laugh and actually jump up and down and clap his hands.

“Already doing nicknames, wow, we move fast”, Louis said with a grin. Harry grinned back at him.

“I mean, we already kissed, I figure we’re good for nicknames, babe”, he said.

“You two hit it off pretty well already before the kiss, but well, now’s the part where you exchange phone numbers or agree to meet up. I’d like the two of you to have a meeting or a chat and then next week we’ll film a short bit where you tell the world how meeting like this is different than normal, and if sharing an awkward first kiss makes it easier to relax around one another or whatever”, Gemma said, turning off the camera. The boys nodded. Harry hesitated a bit but Louis already had his phone out, so he took out his own and they exchanged numbers. Louis went straight into snapchat after that, and smiled at a picture Harry didn’t have a chance to see properly. It looked like a food photo though.

“My mates are at Dolce waiting for me, either one of you wanna join us?” Louis asked, looking up. Gemma smiled but shook her head.

“Filming the next two people in a bit”, she said. Just then Zayn walked in headphones on and face in his phone.

“I’ll join you”, Harry said, then put his fist out for Zayn to bump it without even looking up.

“Hiya, Haz. Gems”, Zayn said, frowning at the screen and typing away.

“OK, Zee?” Harry asked. Zayn just nodded, still frowning, letting out a huffing groan and typing furiously again.

“Umm”, Louis said, tilting his head as he stared at Zayn, and Zayn’s head snapped up with a confused expression.

“Oh, sorry, hi. Zayn”, he said, putting his hand out for a shake.

“You should kiss him instead of that”, Harry said, “he’s good.” Zayn rolled his eyes while Louis chuckled.

“Louis”, he said.

“Wait, this was your kiss?” Zayn asked, smile spreading now.

“Yeah we’re heading down for coffee if you wanna join us later on? Or come pick me up or something”, Harry said.

“Yeah, just…” Zayn said, waving his phone a bit.

“Right, text me after you’re done with that fight”, Harry said, rolling his eyes.

“It’s been two days, mate”, Zayn said with a sigh. He fist-bumped Harry again as a girl entered the room, and Gemma shooed Harry and Louis away.

When they stepped outside, Louis made an appreciative face trying to glance back at the girl through the door.

“He’s gonna get a nice kiss”, he commented with a grin. Harry chuckled.

“His girlfriend of three weeks doesn’t like the situation, though”, he said. Louis grinned.

“That’s what was going on on the phone?” he asked.

“Yeah, Zayn and I are flatmates, both single at the time Gemma asked us to do this like a month ago. Then Zee got a girlfriend, but it wasn’t too official so he didn’t back out. Then a week ago we figured he couldn’t back out anymore, so he told her and she got mad”, Harry explained.

“Poor guy”, Louis laughed, “I was actually seeing someone at the time your sister asked me, so I don’t know if that makes me a dick or whatever, but well, didn’t last so that’s fine.” Harry laughed at that. Louis got a message, so he pulled out his phone and fiddled with it a moment, and then they were already at the coffee shop, and Louis pointed his friends out to Harry as they ordered their drinks. Dolce was almost empty, and it didn’t seem to have a flow of take away customers at all at this time of the day, so it was a nice, quiet place.

“I’ve come here once or twice I think, just to get a cup to go”, Harry said. Louis nodded.

“Usually do that in the mornings, and some afternoons we come sit down if we can”, Louis said as they walked up to the table where two guys were chatting.

“Kiss them on the lips, it seems to be a good ice breaker”, Louis whispered just before they got there, and Harry grinned at him and stopped just next to both guys, bending down to kiss the blond one on the lips, and then turning to kiss the brunet, who was so stunned he didn’t have time to back away like Harry had expected.

Both guys spluttered a bit, the blond one was blushing so cutely, and the other guy just stared. Louis was laughing hard, clutching his stomach.

“God, Hazza, didn’t think you’d do it but mate, you’re awesome!” he giggled. The two of them sat down, Harry circling a bit to get to the other side of the brunet while the blond made room for Louis.

“So that’s Liam”, Louis said, pointing at the guy Harry’d just sat down next to. Liam was still looking stunned, but Harry grabbed his hand from the table and shook it.

“Hi, Liam”, he said with a smile.

“And this is Niall”, Louis said, pointing at the other one. Harry grinned and shook his offered hand, too.

“Guys, this is Harry, we just kissed on camera”, Louis said.

“Oh!” Liam exclaimed, pointing at Louis and then turned to smile and laugh at Harry.

“So it was a good social experiment, then”, he said. Harry nodded with a grin.

“You did it too, just now, though maybe not as thoroughly as we did”, Louis pointed out. Niall turned to stare at him.

“Wait, you kissed a guy with tongue?” he asked, “you said you’d never go that far, just a peck or maybe a bit of lips.”

“Yeah, you said that”, Liam pointed out. Harry grinned.

“I made you forget that?” he asked. Louis grinned easily.

“I mean, look at your lips, god, the things those alone could do…” Harry grinned at him, and ducked his head embarrassedly.

“Yeah, there was no holding back after the first touch of those”, Louis said, grinning when Harry looked back up. Niall was still blushing hard at his side, and when Harry glanced at Liam, he was grinning at Louis.

“So it wasn’t that weird kissing a bloke?” he asked. Louis chuckled.

“I kiss you guys all the time”, he scoffed.

“On the cheek”, Liam pointed out.

“Yeah, cheek’s fine”, Niall said kind of quietly. He seemed pretty shy to Harry.

When Harry’s phone pinged and he took it out to check it, Louis had turned to Niall, looking kind of apologetic.

“Ni, I’m sorry I pushed you aw—“, Louis started saying, quietly, minding the other few customers. Harry could see his eyes glance around to check no one was hearing him.

“I mean I knew you were curious, so…” Niall said. Harry typed a quick response to Zayn and lifted his eyes to see Louis’ hand on Niall’s hunched shoulder.

“…So that’s why I—“, Niall continued, faltering a bit.

“Are you going to say you were just drunk?” Liam asked. Niall bit his lip, keeping his eyes firmly on the table.

“More like you thought I was too drunk”, Louis said, turning fully towards Niall.

“Niall, I pushed you away because I knew you had a crush on me, but I’m straight and I really didn’t want to lead you on”, he said. Harry was way too invested in this conversation. He should’ve excused himself or at least pretended to be engrossed in his phone, but no, instead, he found himself exchanging glances with Liam and biting his lip at the shocked, panicked look on Niall’s face.

“What?” Niall asked in a small voice.

“Ni”, Liam said, but Niall just shook his head, his hands trembling where he started to push himself away from the table and up.

“Wait, you didn’t know we knew you’re gay?” Louis asked suddenly, pushing Niall back down. Niall’s wide eyes were a very clear indication that he hadn’t.

“Oh, fuck, sorry, Niall”, Liam said with a small chuckle, “we’ve always known, really. I mean I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know.”

“Me neither”, Louis said with a small laugh as well, pulling Niall in for a hug. Niall was still trembling a bit, but he looked more relaxed as he pulled away.

“Yeah, being gay is not a problem. It was a bit awkward there for a bit with that crush, which I’m glad you’re getting over, but I mean, I can’t blame you, I know what my bum looks like in skinny jeans”, Louis said with a grin and a wink, making Niall huff out a laugh and roll his eyes.

“I mean, doesn’t my bum look good enough? I’m really offended here”, Liam asked Harry to his surprise, and Harry laughed.

“Mate, you’re sitting down. And I didn’t exactly get a good look at Louis either, was too busy being nervous before the kiss and afterwards just didn’t cross my mind”, he said. Liam laughed.

“Afterwards your friend came in and then there was that bombshell of a girl”, Louis pointed out.

“Yeah, her bum is extremely nice, but she’s one of my sister’s friends, so…” Harry said with a wide grin, turning back to Louis. He noticed Liam was getting up, but payed more attention to Niall’s still red face. Niall seemed to be calming down, though.

“Can you see properly now, Harry?” Liam asked, and when Harry looked up, he realized Liam was standing next to him, bum wiggling a bit, holding his jumper up so Harry could see the underwear peeking out at the top of his jeans.

“Yeah, that’s a nice bum”, Harry laughed along with the others, and Liam sat back down. There was an amused huff on the other side of Harry, and Zayn settled down at the end seat, in between Harry and Niall.

“What on earth did you ask me to join, Haz?” he asked with his eyes twinkling. He nodded at Louis, who lifted his cup up in greeting, and then introduced himself to Niall and Liam.

“You didn’t kiss us, so I’m assuming that’s a Harry only thing”, Liam said. Zayn lifted his eyebrows at Harry, and Harry just laughed.

“Louis told me to do it”, he said, “it seemed like a good idea, breaking the ice, you know.”

“So how was kissing the hottie?” Louis asked. Zayn groaned as just then his phone sent out a series of chimes.

“Yeah, Sarah’s not too happy”, he mumbled as he fished out his phone, “It was OK I guess, was a bit distracted by this mess, though.” He waved his phone a bit.

“Did you do some borderline inappropriate touching?” Harry asked with a grin.

“What, like you did to me?” Louis asked, grinning widely when Harry rolled his eyes at him.

“Figured you’d stop me if you didn’t like it”, he said. Louis grinned.

“Just messing with you”, he said.

“Wait, where did this touching occur? Did you squeeze his bum?” Niall asked, seeming a bit more relaxed. Actually, more than relaxed if you took into account he’d just been outed to a stranger and basically his friends, too, because he hadn’t known they knew.

“Nah, just put my hands in his hair a bit”, Harry said with a shrug.

“You should’ve squeezed his bum. It’s amazing”, Niall said with a nod. Liam joined in on the nod, and Louis just laughed, as did Harry.

“Maybe I’ll get another chance”, Harry said, and Louis winked at him. There was a short silence while everyone took a sip of their drinks, and Zayn made a noise and put his phone down on the table.

“That’s that”, he said, taking a sip and leaning back.

“What?” Harry asked, straightening up, “she dumped you?” Zayn nodded, looking tired.

“Wait, your girlfriend dumped you over you kissing that girl just now?” Louis asked, leaning forward, eyebrows high.

“Yeah, well, she said this isn’t working and I said fine, let’s end it”, Zayn said. Harry glanced at the others.

“It was three weeks”, he pointed out.

“Yeah, I’m not heartbroken”, Zayn chuckled.

“I was going to say squeezing Lou’s bum helps but if you’re not heartbroken then don’t bother”, Niall said with a grin. Zayn chuckled at that.

“So, was kissing Maddie worth it?” Harry asked with a chuckle. Zayn shrugged.

“I mean there were no sparks, neither one of us was too invested, I guess”, he said, “but we’re meeting up tomorrow for the ‘getting to know each other’ bit.”

“Right, we’re doing that now with Lou, I guess”, Harry said, nodding. There were laughs, and Harry met Louis’ eyes over the table.

“Don’t”, Louis said with a finger up.

“Don’t what?” Harry asked.

“Don’t get a crush on me. I’m straight. You didn’t magically change that”, Louis said, sounding stern. Harry burst out laughing.

“Lou that kiss was insane. Of course I have a crush on you. But don’t worry, you’ve made it plenty clear by now”, he said with a grin. He would’ve expected Louis to blush, but instead he just gave a wide smile and a wink.

“Just, I know I’m tactile, and cuddly, and people tell me I have feminine mannerisms or whatever, but I am straight”, he said. Then he turned to Niall and gave him a peck on the cheek.

“Anyway, if I was forced to be with a guy, that’d be Niall. He had dibs”, he said. Niall laughed at that.

“Mate, this is way too soon to tease me”, he said, “it’s been like two minutes since I came out.”

“Since you found out we already knew”, Liam pointed out with a grin. Harry glanced at Zayn, who was frowning a bit.

“Yeah, so, so far in this episode: they outed Niall to me and, I guess, himself, since he didn’t know they knew”, he said, making Zayn smile and the others laugh.

“Yeah, um, I guess you two are the only ones I’ve come out to, then. Since these two knew”, Niall said with a laugh.

“Only ones?” Louis asked, eyes wide.

“You’re not even out to your family?” Liam asked.

“They probably know, too, though”, Louis pointed out. Niall chuckled.

“Yeah, no, well, don’t know about my family but I’ve never… I’ve never really acknowledged it to anyone, I guess”, he said. Harry frowned.

“That sounds like you haven’t actually done anything with anyone”, he said. Niall blushed again, but he still just laughed.

“Well, no, that would be a no”, he said.

“Oh god, I was gonna be your first kiss?” Louis asked, “just snog Hazza there, he’s amazing.”

“I don’t just snog everyone the first time I meet them”, Harry said with a laugh.

“You snogged me”, Louis pointed out.

“You were my first boy kiss”, Harry grinned.

“So you’ll give that to him and not me? I’m hurt, Lou”, Niall said, but he was grinning.

“I thought you snogged that guy what’s his name…? I mean, didn’t Kathy dump you because of that?” Zayn asked. Harry shook his head.

“She dumped me because she thought I was cheating on her with Billy”, he said.

“You weren’t?” Zayn asked.

“No way. I mean, Billy and me sort of clicked, and really the things we talked about and all that… I mean, it was pretty close, I have to admit. I would never, though. I started talking to him less when I realized I was really falling for him. I started being more distant, and I set him up with Sam. There were a couple of times when we were drunk and god, it would have been so easy… but I just hugged him. Maybe pecked his cheek. I’ve done worse to you while with Kathy, really”, Harry said.

“Way worse”, Zayn grinned.

“What’s worse than a peck but not a snog if Lou was his first?” Liam asked.

“A handjob? A blowjob?” Zayn grinned, still. Then he winked at Louis.

“I mean, I’m guessing he’s a good kisser, too. But you’re missing out on that mouth”, he said. Everybody laughed.

“You’ve done, like, friends with benefits, then?” Louis asked. Zayn shrugged.

“Comparing pricks as kids lead to wanking together lead to wanking each other just for the change”, he said, making everyone laugh again.

“Which lead to me wanting a taste, basically”, Harry said. Zayn winked at him.

“We haven’t wanked together when one of us was in a relationship”, he pointed out.

“Except for Kathy, but she knew and we kept it at handjobs”, Harry grinned.

“Kathy was his girlfriend for five years”, Zayn explained.

“We broke up around a year ago”, Harry said.

“So now you’re both single again, gonna hook up?” Liam asked with a grin.

“It’s not like that. I mean, we’re flatmates, so basically when we’re single we just wank in the common areas and it doesn’t matter if the other catches you, ‘cos he can just join in”, Harry said with a grin.

“And when we’re not single, we don’t wank out proud, and don’t join in if we catch the other”, Zayn said.

“So if we ever visit, we’d better make sure both of you know we’re coming over before barging in on someone wanking?” Louis asked with a grin. Zayn shrugged.

“I mean I’m straight, but I won’t say no to a helping hand”, he said. Harry grinned at him.

“Or my mouth”, he said.

“Never ever say no to your mouth”, Zayn said with a wide grin.

“Has anyone ever said no then?” Louis asked with a glint in his eye.

“You effectively did just now”, Harry laughed.

“Wait, why would Kathy break up with you for cheating if she knew what you were doing with Zayn?” Liam asked. Harry shrugged.

“I mean, we’re best mates, have been ever since we were kids, so I’ve definitely shared way more stories and feelings with Zayn than I ever did with Billy. And I love Zayn. And we were having handjobs. I really didn’t appreciate Kathy starting to snoop around my phone when she started suspecting something after some party where they met. Though both Billy and Zayn’s text threads were equally incriminating. For some reason she believed me about Zayn and I being just friends, but didn’t believe me when I confessed to feeling something for Billy but keeping my distance. Anyway, things got really bad around that time and then she cheated on me as revenge”, he said.

“Man that sucks”, Louis said emphatically.

“I thought she’d done that because she actually found out you actually did cheat”, Zayn said. Harry shook his head.

“So you thought I was a cheater, too, for like a year”, he said, unable to fight off the sad tone of voice. Zayn looked apologetic.

“Took me a while to believe it. I guess I started believing after I saw you and Billy at a party after you broke up with Kathy. You were just too close together and looked all… adoring”, he said.

“Billy was with Sam at that point, though. Nothing ever happened between us”, Harry said.

“So Zayn was your first cock and I was your first gay kiss”, Louis said with a grin.

“A pretty good first cock”, Harry nodded. Zayn glared at him, and he grinned and winked.

“A pretty first cock. And a good one”, he clarified. Zayn chuckled and shook his head. There was a lull in the conversation, and then Liam set down his finished drink.

“Well, lads, it’s been great to get to know you, but I have a date in half an hour”, he said, getting up. Niall and Zayn made their excuses shortly afterwards, and Louis and Harry walked some way together before splitting, chatting about this and that, getting to know each other more.

It had been fun, and it was still fun texting with Louis later on. The two of them met up a couple more times before Gemma’s next camera session, and the last time had been a party where Harry had exchanged numbers with both Liam and Niall as well.

 

“So tell me, have you met up or stayed in contact after the kiss?” Gemma asked, though she already knew from Harry they had.

“Yeah”, Harry said, chuckling at Louis, who was nodding.

“Yeah, we’ve actually become great friends”, Harry continued.

“Oh my god, that’s the first time we’ve said it out loud, this is so romantic”, Louis said, with a gasp and a hand over his heart. Harry laughed.

“Yeah, we’ve also hung out with our other friends all together, it’s been fun”, he said.

“Have you kissed again?” Gemma asked with a wide grin, and both Harry and Louis burst out laughing after glancing at each other.

“I’m still completely straight”, Louis pointed out.

“No exceptions, even for me”, Harry said with a fake pout.

“Well, did you notice getting to know someone like this was any different from normal?” Gemma asked. Harry tilted his head and chuckled when he noticed Louis did the same.

“Well, I think we kind of clicked already before the kiss, but I have to say I probably wouldn’t have pursued a friendship based on such a short interaction if it wasn’t for the kiss. I mean, that kind of made it feel like we’ve known each other for a while already”, Harry said.

“Yeah, I’m usually a very reserved guy. I mean, I talk a lot and I kind of know a lot of people, but I’m really only open about stuff to my best friends. I’m a tactile guy, too, but mostly only with those friends. So, that kiss kind of kickstarted Harry onto the same level with them, for me”, Louis said.

“Aww, so romantic”, Harry said with a wink, earning himself a grin.

“Would you consider doing something like this again?” Gemma asked.

“Well, I think I have enough close friends for now. But then again, before meeting Louis and his friends, I would’ve said the same. So I guess I wouldn’t turn this kind of an opportunity down, but, well, I won’t go around kissing random people to make friends either”, Harry said, grinning.

“Yeah, same, I guess. Although I have to say I probably won’t ever be kissing a guy any more. And that’s another thing, I mean, would it have gone different if Harry’d been the gender I prefer? Like, I probably wouldn’t have made friends with a girl I’d kissed”, Louis said. Harry grinned at him. Gemma turned the camera off.

“Yeah, I’m totally in love with you, that’s the only reason I hang out with you”, he joked, and Louis laughed.

“I don’t think it’s me you’re crushing on”, he said, winking. Harry couldn’t help the blush but he frowned.

“What do you mean?” he asked. Louis rolled his eyes.

“You gonna ask him out or what?” he asked, laughing as Gemma jumped in with a “who, what, when? Tell me!” Just then Zayn walked in again, and frowned at them.

“Nothing, Gem”, Harry said with a groan. Louis poked his side with a teasing grin.

“I know you like him”, he said.

“Oh, Niall?” Zayn asked, making Harry scoff.

“Shut up!” he mumbled, but Gemma had already jumped on it.

“What, Louis’ friend?” she asked.

“You’ve already spread your love for him around?” Louis asked with a grin.

“Just mentioned him like a hundred times in idle conversation”, Zayn said, rolling his eyes.

“What, I have not!” Harry scoffed.

“Like yesterday we were talking about Game of Thrones and you made the conversation about Niall’s hobbies, basically”, Zayn said.

“I mean, I know Louis has another friend, too, but I don’t know his name. And I know Niall’s”, Gemma said with a wide grin.

“Shut up already!” Harry exclaimed. Louis grinned at him.

“I knew it”, he said.

“You know nothing”, Harry said.

“I’m no Jon Snow, and I know you’ve caught his eye too, you know”, Louis said. Harry bit his lip as he glanced up at him, and then sighed, rolling his eyes, at Louis’ wide grin.

“Ok, fine, he’s fit and nice and fun and I wouldn’t mind getting to know him a little better”, he said, “but don’t say anything to him! I mean, I don’t want it to be awkward if something happens or doesn’t happen.”

“I think you’d be a good fit”, Louis said. Zayn nodded.

“He asked me if you were seeing someone, at the party”, he said.

“What, you didn’t tell me that!” Harry exclaimed. Zayn grinned.

“I figured he’d ask you next”, he said, “but I guess he wanted to do that sober or something.”

“Mate, it’s not like you’re asking Zayn out and ruining an incredible friendship. You just met last week. But you get on well, so I’d say just go for it”, Louis said. Harry rolled his eyes again, but just then Zayn’s kissing partner strolled in, so Harry and Louis had to grab their things and leave.

 

Later on that day, Harry received a snap from Louis. He often sent selfies, food, or his surroundings, and they usually used Snapchat for their messaging, so it wasn’t a surprise. What was a surprise, however, was that the picture was of Niall’s backside in just boxers.

“Fancy a go?” the caption said, and Harry almost chocked on his soda. He sent a snap of his frowning face, typing in “stop it.”

He got a sad selfie back, without a caption, and then another snap of Niall bending down, so Harry could see he wasn’t actually wearing anything other than the boxers. Harry sent back a snap of his essay writing station, and a “stop distracting me.”

A few moments later he got a snap, but it wasn’t from Louis, it was a selfie from Niall. His face looked adorable and shy, and it was clear he was at least wearing a shirt now.

“Louis said to send this?” it said on the caption, and Harry rolled his eyes, and sent a selfie snap where he hoped he conveyed that he was tired of Louis’ antics.

“Louis is annoying”, it said, and then he sent an essay station snap as well, with “He wants to distract me from working.”

Immediately afterwards, he realized his mistake, but it was too late. He got a snap from Louis, with a blushing, shirt-wearing Niall without a caption, and Harry bit his lip as he switched to the chat with Niall where he’d received just a dark background and the words: “My face is distracting you?”

Harry sent back a selfie where he was biting his lip, and a “Yes.”

There was a long pause, during which Harry lost all his concentration on his essay, and basically was just about to start gnawing his lips and pulling his hair. He went to sit down on the sofa, next to a gaming Zayn, and stared at his phone.

Suddenly there was a snap from Liam, and it made Harry laugh out loud and Zayn crane his neck to see. It was Niall holding Louis down on the floor, both of them wearing only boxers and t-shirts. There were a couple more snaps, and in those there was an explanation as well.

“Came home to this.”

“Apparently Louis sent nudes to you?”

“Oh, nudes of Niall?”

Harry grinned at Zayn’s confused look, and then snapped a selfie.

“Just boxer shots of Ni”, he sent.

“Really?” Zayn asked with an amused smile. Harry recounted the whole snapchat event for him, and Zayn laughed hard.

“So, Niall now knows you fancy him, right?” he asked. There was a snap from Liam again, of Niall on the floor, being tickled by Louis, and another one of Louis holding onto his crotch with a face filled with agony, and a concerned Niall hovering next to him.

A while later there was a selfie from Niall, a slightly blushing and nervous-looking one.

“Apparently my boxers have been flaunted by them both”, the caption said. Harry sent a shy smile back.

“They are nice boxers”, he typed in. He figured there was no point in pretending he wasn’t interested, anymore, so he sent a picture of his bare legs on the sofa.

“Distracted me so can’t work anymore”, he wrote. There was a picture of Niall’s bare legs on top of Louis’ back, Louis apparently pretending to be a footstool.

“He admitted to trying to set us up”, the caption said. Harry grinned at his phone, didn’t react to Zayn’s teasing and poking, and sent back a picture of his legs in exactly the same position as before, but from further up, so it was clear he was only wearing boxers just like Niall had been. Then he sent a snap of his torso and nervous smile.

“Don’t think I’d mind that”, he typed in. He got a snap from Liam next, showing a confused looking Louis on his knees, looking over his shoulder.

“What did you say? Ni just bolted!” said the caption.

Then there was a snap of Niall’s closed door from Louis.

“Are you sexting?!” the caption said. Harry laughed. He sent back a selfie taken so far away that Zayn’s confused face could be seen as well. Then he got a mirror selfie from Niall, wearing only the boxers. There was no caption. He frowned a bit, sent a sofa plus Zayn –selfie to Niall as well, then got up and went into his room, ignoring Zayn’s teasing calls.

There was a selfie from Louis, showing him and Liam with scrunched up noses.

“Zayn sent us your butt, wtf?” it asked, and Harry had to chuckle at that. He took a mirror selfie and sent that to Niall, then a picture of his essay station for Louis.

“Now stop the distracting”, he typed in as caption for that. Then there was a blushing selfie from Niall.

“Cool tattoos”, it said, and Harry sent back a selfie of his grinning reaction.

“So, wanna go out sometime?” he asked. He got back a mirror selfie where Niall was pulling his shirt on with his phone-free hand.

“Now?” it said, and Harry giggled a bit before sending a similar selfie.

“Dolce in ten?” he asked. He only received a smiling selfie back, so he assumed they were go.

When he stepped out of his room, he met Zayn’s frown.

“Liam just sent me a picture of Niall going out, without a caption?” Zayn asked. Harry grinned.

“Send him back one of me leaving”, he said. Zayn frowned for a second more, and then his eyes widened.

“You’re going out with Ni?” he asked. Harry nodded, unable to stop the wide smile from spreading on his face. Zayn gave him a thumbs up, and a pat on the bottom as he left.

 

The coffee shop was almost empty, as usual, and Harry ordered both their favourites and sat down at their usual table, laughing inwardly about how he already knew these things and how they already had routines, even if they’d only met a few times, most of them last week.

When Niall arrived, he beamed at Harry for getting his drink, and sat down next to him as opposed to opposite, leaning in close straight away.

“So, apparently Zayn told Louis you don’t usually bother wearing boxers indoors”, Niall started out with, and Harry burst out laughing.

“Nope, I usually don’t. I like to be naked, it’s freeing”, he said. Niall laughed and shook his head. Then he looked up, smiling shyly again, a blush spreading on his face.

“This is a date, right?” he asked. Harry grinned.

“Yes, it is”, he said, leaning in to peck Niall’s cheek.

“And you don’t mind the fact that you’d be my first… kiss, then?” Niall asked. Harry grinned wider and pecked him again, his hand finding Niall’s under the table.

“Definitely not”, he said, “and besides, Louis is still my only guy kiss.” Niall rolled his eyes as he squeezed Harry’s hand.

“Girls count, too. And Zayn”, he said. Harry tilted his head, glanced around quickly, and then started leaning in.

“You know, usually it’s supposed to be at the end of the date, at night, and really romantic”, he said, leaning in further, so that he was speaking directly into Niall’s cheek. Niall shivered.

“But I want to kiss you now”, Harry said. Niall chuckled and squeezed his hand again. Their lips sought out each other, and Harry got lost in the sensations. Niall’s lips were soft and lovely, his mouth tasted like caramel and soy from the latte, and his tongue was tentative and still somehow insisting.

The two of them got lost in each other for a while, pulling back only to kiss again, migrating so that Niall’s legs were in Harry’s lap, in between his. The boys pulled apart at Harry’s phone making a noise on the table. They giggled a bit at each other, and then Harry pulled back to check his phone with one hand, but didn’t let go of Niall’s waist with the other.

Harry grinned at his phone as he showed it to Niall. It was a snap from Louis, showing his, Liam’s and Zayn’s faces.

“No pressure, but we’re at yours with pizza”, the caption said. Clearly Liam and Louis had sexiled themselves. Harry lifted his gaze to find Niall grinning as well. They got lost in each others’ eyes for a while.

“Do you believe in love at first sight?” Harry asked then. Niall burst out laughing.

“Cheesiest pick up line ever”, he announced, his finger pushing Harry’s hair from his face.

“But yeah,  I guess”, he said quietly. Harry bit his lip.

“So, pizza at mine or sex at yours?” he asked, making Niall burst out laughing.

“Lou would tease us so much for this conversation”, he said. Harry grinned and leaned in for a kiss again. Niall giggled against his lips.

“I’m a bit peckish, though. Wanna go over to yours and pretend we’re not together, to shock them?” he asked. Harry grinned.

“Yep, I’m in no hurry, we have all the time in the world for shocking them with sex instead”, he said. Niall nodded and pecked his lips again. The two of them got up and drained the rest of their drinks, then started walking towards Harry’s place, hand in hand.

“I reckon I’m really in love with you, though. How can something like that happen this fast?” Niall said. Harry smiled at him.

“I reckon I’m in love with you too, so I don’t really care how fast it is”, he said. Niall grinned and swung their joined hands.

When they got to Harry’s door, they made sure nothing showed what had just happened. They schooled their expressions and stood further away, and then Harry let them in.

“Hope you got enough pizza for us?” he asked as they got in, his tone neutral. Louis, Liam and Zayn were staring at the door, Louis with his slice of pizza comically paused on the way to his mouth.

“We, um… we thought you’d go to ours?” Liam asked when the two of them sat on the floor in front of the sofa and chose slices of the four pizzas laid out on the sofa table.

“Why would you think that?” Niall asked with an innocent expression. The three others seemed baffled, but Harry had trouble keeping his laughter in.

“Um…”, Liam mumbled, a sentiment clearly seconded by the others.

“We thought you might be busy having extremely gay sex by now?” Louis ventured. Harry met Niall’s equally amused expression.

“So just because we both happen to be gay you assume we’re into each other and that we’d hop straight into bed and shag like bunnies?” Harry asked with a grin. There was a silence, and then Zayn nodded.

“Pretty much”, he said with a chuckle.

“But you _are_ into each other. You’re in like. Or in lust at least”, Louis whined.

“We’re in love”, Niall said, then proceeded to bite into another pizza slice like it wasn’t a big thing. Harry looked up and met three completely flabbergasted pairs of eyes.

“You’re in love?” Liam croaked out, and then cleared his throat. Niall turned to grin widely at Harry, and something happened to Harry’s insides. His whole being seemed to be melting, his heart hammering in his chest and butterflies fluttering in his stomach. Eyes locked with Niall’s, he leaned forward and caught his lips in a gentle kiss. The whole outside world faded for a moment, and when he pulled back, he bit his lip sheepishly at the others’ laughs.

“We are. But we can shag like bunnies later.”


End file.
